Giuseppe Giulietti (trade unionist)
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Giulietti was an Italian
sailor who became a leading trade union
activist. He was one of the few figures ostensibly on the left wing of Italian politics to publicly support Benito Mussolini
, declaring for the fascist leader in 1922.
Giulietti became a seaman in 1905 and soon became a leading figure in their union Federazione Italiana dei Lavoratori del Mare (FILM), where he gained a reputation as a strong negotiator and was appointed union president in 1910. Having joined the Italian Socialist Party
in 1903 he affiliated FILM to the party once appointed President.
He saw service with the Regia Marina
during the First World War and during his service he became more nationalist
in thought. He soon took to using FILM funds to secretly fund Il Popolo d'Italia
, the newspaper of Benito Mussolini
(at the time still considered a Socialist Party dissident), and followed the rightwards shift of that group. He soon became a public supporter of Gabriele d'Annunzio
and worked to aid his endeavours in the Free State of Fiume
. To this end he hijacked a ship, Persia, carrying weapons to the White Russians
and diverted them to Fiume. Giulietti criticised other socialists for failing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by d'Annunzio, arguing that even if they did not support him they could have taken advantage of the chaos he created to launch their own revolution. Despite this, the two split in 1924 when d'Annunzio, under pressure from industrialist backers who feared Giulletti's socialist background, repudiated their alliance.
Despite his declared support for Mussolini, Giulietti found Fascist Italy
a difficult prospect and throughout the early 1920s he maintained links to the left as well as the fascists. He was unpopular with the fascists in his home city of Genoa
and in November 1926 they had him arrested and sent into 'exile' in Nuoro
. During the remainder of the fascist period he continued to be active on behalf of the seamen, although he also gernered a reputation for corruption and misappropriation of funds during this period. He faced no charges after the Second World War despite his early involvement in fascism.
After the war Giulietti he continued his activism with FILM and also entered formal politics, being elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
for the Italian Republican Party
in the 1948 election
. In 1949 he became a member of the confederal executive of the Italian General Confederation of Labour
, a position he held until death.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
sailor who became a leading trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist. He was one of the few figures ostensibly on the left wing of Italian politics to publicly support Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, declaring for the fascist leader in 1922.
Giulietti became a seaman in 1905 and soon became a leading figure in their union Federazione Italiana dei Lavoratori del Mare (FILM), where he gained a reputation as a strong negotiator and was appointed union president in 1910. Having joined the Italian Socialist Party
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
in 1903 he affiliated FILM to the party once appointed President.
He saw service with the Regia Marina
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
during the First World War and during his service he became more nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
in thought. He soon took to using FILM funds to secretly fund Il Popolo d'Italia
Il Popolo d'Italia
Il Popolo d'Italia , was an Italian newspaper founded by Benito Mussolini on November 15, 1914, as a result of his split with the Italian Socialist Party. Il Popolo d'Italia ran until July 24, 1943 and became the foundation for the Fascist movement in Italy after World War I...
, the newspaper of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
(at the time still considered a Socialist Party dissident), and followed the rightwards shift of that group. He soon became a public supporter of Gabriele d'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio or d'Annunzio was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist...
and worked to aid his endeavours in the Free State of Fiume
Free State of Fiume
The Free State of Fiume was an independent free state which existed between 1920 and 1924. Its territory of comprised the city of Fiume and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to Italy.-History:Fiume gained autonomy for the first time in 1719 when it was proclaimed...
. To this end he hijacked a ship, Persia, carrying weapons to the White Russians
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
and diverted them to Fiume. Giulietti criticised other socialists for failing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by d'Annunzio, arguing that even if they did not support him they could have taken advantage of the chaos he created to launch their own revolution. Despite this, the two split in 1924 when d'Annunzio, under pressure from industrialist backers who feared Giulletti's socialist background, repudiated their alliance.
Despite his declared support for Mussolini, Giulietti found Fascist Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
a difficult prospect and throughout the early 1920s he maintained links to the left as well as the fascists. He was unpopular with the fascists in his home city of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and in November 1926 they had him arrested and sent into 'exile' in Nuoro
Nuoro
Nuoro is a city and comune in central-eastern Sardinia, Italy, situated on the slopes of the Monte Ortobene. It is the capital of the Province of Nuoro. With a population of 36,443 Nuoro is a city and comune (municipality) in central-eastern Sardinia, Italy, situated on the slopes of the Monte...
. During the remainder of the fascist period he continued to be active on behalf of the seamen, although he also gernered a reputation for corruption and misappropriation of funds during this period. He faced no charges after the Second World War despite his early involvement in fascism.
After the war Giulietti he continued his activism with FILM and also entered formal politics, being elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
for the Italian Republican Party
Italian Republican Party
The Italian Republican Party is a liberal political party in Italy.The PRI is party with old roots that originally took a left-wing position, claiming descent from the political position of Giuseppe Mazzini...
in the 1948 election
Italian general election, 1948
The Italian elections of 1948 were the second democratic elections with universal suffrage ever held in Italy, taking place after the 1946 elections to the Constituent Assembly, responsible for drawing up a new Italian Constitution...
. In 1949 he became a member of the confederal executive of the Italian General Confederation of Labour
Italian General Confederation of Labour
-External links:**...
, a position he held until death.